By Rosemary Hill
Special to the Express
WHITMAN — A lifelong resident of Whitman, Susan Pimental is more than an artist — she’s a storyteller, a neighbor, and a keeper of the
town’s shared memory.
Her roots in Whitman run deep. Her Uncle Tom Harding’s old factory
still stands on Pond Street, and her father Tom Pimental’s popcorn
cart lives on in the joyful memories of baseball games and summer
gatherings.
But Susan’s love for her hometown isn’t rooted in nostalgia. It’s
grounded in compassion and an honest embrace of community complexity. She understands that a true community is made up of many kinds of people — from different backgrounds, with different abilities and means. Listening to her speak about her friends, neighbors, and family reveals someone who uplifts others without ignoring life’s challenges. She doesn’t wear rose-colored glasses — she sees clearly, but chooses kindness.
Her art reflects that spirit. Susan creates what’s known as “ready made” art — a style pioneered by artists like Marcel Duchamp, Pablo Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg, Joseph Kosuth, and others. To that list, Susan humbly adds her own name. Her work is a blend of joy, struggle, history, and deep human connection.
When asked about her birthday, she laughs and says she’s turning “80-ish.” Like many women of her generation, Susan didn’t have many formal opportunities to express her creativity — but she found ways. She recalls arranging flowers at a local greenhouse, inspired by an aunt who once worked at the famed Toll House Restaurant. She also made toys and gifts for loved ones, turning everyday materials into acts of imagination and care.
One story she shares is especially moving. As a child, she made toys with her uncle, a kind and creative man who was also a veteran living with PTSD. Tragically, he died from its effects — a familiar sorrow for many families. But Susan remembers their connection with warmth: “He was a good man. We made toys together just that very day.” Like much of her art, this memory holds space for both truth and tenderness. Susan’s artwork is intricate and distinctive. She assembles carefully chosen objects — buttons, shells, figurines, scraps of pottery — that, at first glance, seem unrelated. But when brought together, they become something new. One sculpture features a piece of Wedgwood pottery. When asked why, she simply says, “Of course.” There’s no question of whether it belongs — it does, because everything belongs in its own way.
In another piece, she highlights a chipped Hummel figurine. “It’s still a Hummel,” she says with a smile. Her uncle’s memory lingers there, too: a soldier, a good man — not defined by damage, but by who he was.
Like many families in Whitman, Susan’s parents made do with what they had. Her mother worked at the Regal Shoe Factory as a stitcher, often bringing work home. Susan remembers watching her mother use heavy leather stamps to cut out pieces for the next day’s sewing. Even as a child, Susan saw the parts behind the whole — a sensibility that now informs her art.
Her father’s popcorn cart — once just boards and wheels and a vision of more — lives on in spirit, much like Susan’s work.
Many residents have seen Susan’s larger pieces over the years — colorful birdbaths and whimsical lawn sculptures adorning local yards. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Susan turned to crafting smaller, more intimate works from found materials: shells, plastic flowers, buttons, bits of ribbon. What began as a personal outlet is now something she wants to share with others, especially children and families.
One of these sculptures — gifted to this reporter’s family — features a painted conch shell, googly eyes, and bits of gold. Affectionately named “Shelly,” she now lives on our bookshelf as a symbol of joy and creativity. Susan teaches us that art doesn’t require perfection or wealth — just care, imagination, and a willingness to see what’s possible.While her larger sculptures remain available by commission, Susan hopes to share her smaller pieces more broadly with the community. Each one is a lesson in resilience, creativity, and joy.
Fittingly, Susan celebrated her “80-ish” birthday on June 14, the same day as Whitman Day, which also marked the beginning of the town’s 150th anniversary celebration. She joined in Whitman Day festivities in the Park, where she and her family had a table despite the rain as she gave away her whimsical sculptures as gifts to the children of Whitman. Through her art, her stories, and her generosity, Susan Pimental reminds us that community isn’t just a place — it’s something we build, together, with love, creativity, and care.